Load carriers of the above-mentioned type are becoming progressively mere common, in particular on estate cars, station wagons and the like. Such load carriers afford advantages in that they are permanently mounted on the vehicle roof, whereby those problems which are associated with mounting of special load struts with support feet to the side edge areas of the vehicle roof will be avoided.
However, load carriers of this type also suffer from disadvantages in that they are exclusively longitudinal. Hereby, for employing conventional roof load carrying equipment such as ski boxes, bicycle racks, ski racks, load baskets and the like, use must as a rule be made of separate, transverse load supports which are secured to the longitudinal load supports or rails in some manner. Since the appearance of prior art load carriers of the type under consideration here has varied considerably from car model to car model, it is difficult to provide a universally applicable accessory system, since at least the transverse load supports must be specifically adapted to suit the car model in question and the longitudinal load supports mounted thereon.
Further disadvantages reside in the fact that the detachable transverse load supports require the same type of handling as conventional load struts, for which reason they are often not on hand when a load is to be carried on the roof.
The object of the present invention is to design a load carrier of the type disclosed by way of introduction in such a manner that the above-considered drawbacks are obviated. In particular, the present invention has for its object to devise a load carrier which in itself includes the transverse load supports. The present invention further has for its object to devise a load carrier which is aesthetically attractive and which permits large load capacity, simple switching to the load carrying position and no risk that detachable details may get lost. Finally, the present invention further has for its object to devise a load carrier which permits use of conventional roof load carrying equipment without specific modification thereof.
The objects forming the basis of the present invention will be attained if the load carrier intimated by way of introduction is characterised in that the transverse load supports are, with their one end, movably connected to one of the longitudinal load supports; and that they are switchable between inoperative positions folded in along or inside the longitudinal load supports, and operative positions where they extend between the longitudinal load supports.
By arranging, in this manner, the transverse load supports connected to the longitudinal load supports and outwardly pivotal therefrom, major aesthetic advantages will be gained, and the considerable practical advantage that separate storage of detachable parts no longer need be necessary.
According to the present invention, the load carrier is also suitably characterised in that the longitudinal load supports are provided with profiled portions with approximately C-shaped cross section which have their openings turned to face one another; and that the transverse load supports are accommodated in the profiled portions in their inoperative positions.
As a result of these features, advantages will be afforded in that the transverse load supports may be pivoted in and, for the greater part, concealed in the longitudinal load supports so that thereby air resistance is reduced, the risk of wind noise or whine is also reduced and aesthetic advantages are gained.
The load carrier according to the present invention is also suitably characterised in that the transverse load supports are pivotally connected, about substantially vertical axes, to the longitudinal load supports; that the pivotal connection between the longitudinal and the transverse load supports is designed so as to permit a certain displacement of the transverse load supports in their longitudinal direction in relation to that longitudinal load support to which each is connected; and that the free end of the transverse load support and the opposing longitudinal load support are provided with means for positionally fixing the free end.
As a result of these features, advantages will be gained primarily in that tolerances in the vehicle body and in the mounting positions for the longitudinal load supports may readily be compensated for. Furthermore, it is not necessary to place the longitudinal load supports exactly parallel to one another, which may be an advantage on certain vehicle body types.
Further advantages will be attained according to the present invention if the load carrier is also given any one or more of the characterising features as described below.